Witness describes fatal stabbing of man in wheelchair on San Francisco Muni bus

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- One man has been arrested and charged with killing another man on a Muni bus in San Francisco's Bayview District Sunday afternoon, police say.

SFPD says the victim was found at around 4:35 p.m. with stab wounds on Bayshore and Cortland streets.

Police say the victim was on a Muni bus, sitting in a wheelchair when the stabbing happened after an altercation.

"There was an altercation that occurred on the Muni bus. That happened prior to the stabbing," said Lt. Kevin Lee with SFPD.

The victim was transported to a local hospital and died from his injuries.

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SFPD says after the bus pulled over, the suspect took off running before being found hiding behind parked cars and taken into custody.

The suspect, a 51-year-old from Daly City, has been booked at San Francisco County Jail for homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse.

Investigators are now looking into surveillance video on the bus and from nearby businesses.

Muni released a statement on Monday:

"Yesterday's senseless act of violence is tragic, and our hearts are with the victim and their loved ones. Criminal activity of any kind will never be tolerated on Muni, and we are committed to keeping the safety of our riders and staff as our top priority. Muni vehicles are equipped with a network of security cameras to help the SFPD and the District Attorney's Office arrest and prosecute perpetrators. We are coordinating with the SFPD who are actively investigating this case and are thankful for their swift action to make an arrest."

On Monday, ABC7 News talked to a witness who works at a nearby business and didn't want to be identified. He said he saw everything play out from beginning to end.

"It didn't play out like everyone seems to say it did," said the witness.

The witness says he saw two men -- including an older man in a wheelchair -- assaulting the Daly City man.

"From what I seen here, it looked like two people beating up on one person. They were hitting him with the belt buckle over the head pretty hard," said the witness. "His head started bleeding -- the Latino male. And that's when he was reaching in his pocket."

The witness says that's when the Daly City man stabbed the man in the wheelchair.

"He did what he did. But he did get a pretty good beating in that belt buckle situation," said the witness.

This is the second stabbing on public transit in San Francisco's Bayview District, the previous one happening March 11 on a Muni light rail train at 3rd Street.

MORE: Woman suffers life-threatening injuries after being stabbed on Muni train, SFPD says

Paramedics say a woman was stabbed several times in the neck and arm and officers detained two people after a brief foot pursuit.

There is no word what led to that stabbing.

Anyone with information on Sunday's attack is asked to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.